


Will You Be There As I Grow Cold?

by VolxdoSioda



Series: Whumptober 2018 (Complete) [24]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Day 24 - Drowning, Gen, Phoenix!Noctis, Temporary Character Death, Whumptober
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-26
Updated: 2018-10-26
Packaged: 2019-08-08 00:16:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16418798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VolxdoSioda/pseuds/VolxdoSioda
Summary: The seas in and around Altissia are Leviathan's domain, for all that death is still beneath the jurisdiction of the Draconian. Despite the knowledge that two of the eldest within the Hexathon will be the ones presiding over his soul, Noctis still refuses to hesitate when Luna reaches out to him beneath the waves.





	Will You Be There As I Grow Cold?

The seas in and around Altissia are Leviathan's domain, for all that death is still beneath the jurisdiction of the Draconian. Despite the knowledge that two of the eldest within the Hexathon will be the ones presiding over his soul, Noctis still refuses to hesitate when Luna reaches out to him beneath the waves.

He's done this once; was left powerless and unable to save her. Now he is mortal-hearted but blessed to stand in opposition to Bahamut, and he has the power to save those he loves at the cost of his own life. And so he leaps into the air and dives down, pressing wings tight to his side as he does, spearing his way through the waves, and using the weight of his sodden feathers to drag him down.

He grabs Luna, and then comes the true struggle of getting back to the surface. Air-born creatures are not meant for swimming - the Phoenix is no exception. And fire and water have never mixed. He can feel his blood solidifying, crusting and hardening. He will die soon.

He can hear Leviathan's siren song already; a song of death and chaos, the tempestuous rolling waves a countenance to the soft  _let go, let go, let go_ he can hear the Goddess uttering. His head breaches air, and he puts his all into a solid leap, grasping the very edge of the destroyed stone, pulling himself up just enough to roll Luna up, until she's safe. Leviathan has disappeared beneath the waves, a predator waiting for her Feeding. He is her younger sibling now, but she has not Fed in so long, and her black hunger is near-palpable in the dark waters. 

"Vow it," he hisses to empty air, "Vow to me that you will not take her."

He gets no vocal response from his sister; only the impression of a sneer. Why would she go after the  _Oracle_ when she could drag the  _Phoenix_ to her depths instead?

His wings tremble in the cold, crimson and golden feathers pitch black now, leaden weights against his sides and back. He looks at Luna one last time, and then he lets go.

This time his weight drags him down, down, and he doesn't fight it. Doesn't struggle when water fills his lungs, when he's choking, when all the fire inside him is crushed beneath Leviathan's element. He sinks down into the depths, and there on the very edge, feels both Bahamut and Leviathan waiting to receive him.

 _Come,_ Leviathan whispers, and in the darkness he sees her head sliding towards him, mouth opening to reveal rows of jagged teeth.

She has not Fed in so long. She is  _hungry._

He closes his eyes, and lets her take what is hers.  

 

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

 

Bahamut holds him for two full turns of the moon this time, enough time for his body to regenerate beneath the waters of Accordo, enough time for Luna to get the full story of what he is now from his friends, and enough time for his soul to start to feel warm again, less like a sodden chick in the cold winter winds, and more like himself.

His dragon-brother is gentle as he lets Noctis fall back beneath the waves, and Leviathan is silent, neither hindering nor helping him as he flounders back to the surface. He coughs, sputters, spits up water as he clambers his way up the stone again, and finds Luna there, waiting for him with his human brothers.

She holds him as he coughs, doesn't flinch when he vomits up more water, gently wipes his mouth with her handkerchief and helps him stumble to his feet. She watches him with tender eyes, finding any excuse to touch him. They all are - Phoenix or not, immortality or not, they love him too deeply for his many deaths not to hurt them. They know his reasoning, know he loves them too much to simply let their deaths come quietly, but it still hurts.

He doesn't expect to find Ravus waiting for them, pale-faced and grim, but he is. It is he that takes Noctis from them, wordlessly supporting him as they go back to the manor. Noctis knows enough of Ravus now to see the fear in him, the disbelief, and the horror of understanding. To know that he can feel the chill on Noctis' skin, and imagine death there rather than life.

Still, Noctis can't bring himself to regret any of it. Leviathan croons in the far distance, pleased and sated at last, and Noctis closes his eyes as they pile into the car, and lets himself dream.

He's tired.


End file.
